In second grade they are able to learn so much information! They are exposed to many different informational nonfiction texts. Whether it be through small group guided reading instruction, mentor texts, or read alouds, students must have an understanding of the skills and strategies that are necessary to handle the complexity that informational text often brings.

There are skills necessary to help students decipher informational text. TheWorksheets.com provides many worksheets that can be used to grow their independence to manipulate text which will aid them in learning across all disciplines.  

Informational Reading Skills for Creating an Educated Second Grade Learner

The ELA standards identify a set of skills students must master in second grade. These skills include Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas. These skills are so important to a child’s success as a reader and writer and teachers and parents can use worksheets provided by TheWorksheets.com to support the growth of their language skills.

Key Ideas and Details

 The key ideas and details standards have the goal of the students seeing the bigger picture of what they are reading. These standards guide the students to think deeper about what they are reading. Students in second grade should be starting to be able to figure out what different parts within a text are “mostly about”. The student should also be able to support their thinking with reasoning from the text.

• Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
• Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
• Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

The following worksheets from TheWorksheets.com can help to support those skills. Even if some of these worksheets look above the second grade level, you can complete these tasks with them orally or with support. The worksheets and ideas found in these links can be a good guide.

• Informational Reading Passages for Second Grade Readers
• Second Grade Nonfiction
• Main Idea and Key Details Passages

Craft and Structure:

When reading informational text, students will come across many new words that are content or topic specific. This type of reading requires skills for students to overcome these unfamiliar words. In second grade, students should be able use words and phrases around the unknown word to help determine the meaning. It is important that students learn context clue strategies to help decode and determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Students can look for the definition, synonyms, and antonyms hidden in the text by the author to offer meaning. 

Aside from unfamiliar words, it is important that second graders know the basic text features that can be found within an informational book. Students should be familiar with captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons. Students have learned some text features in both kindergarten and in first grade, but these increase in complexity as nonfiction books at the second grade level increase in difficulty. They do not just need to know what these features are, but they need to be able to effectively use them to be able to locate information quickly within an informational text. 

Students must also be able to figure out what the main purpose of the text is (PIE). Students should also be able to explain the author’s point of view and goal of writing the text.

• Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
• Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
• Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

The following worksheets from TheWorksheets.com can help to support those skills. Even if some of these worksheets look above the second grade level, you can complete these tasks with them orally or with support. The worksheets and ideas found in these links can be a good guide.

• Second Grade Context Clue Worksheets
• Second Grade Text Feature Worksheets
• Informational Reading Strategies
• Second Grade Author’s Purpose

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

Students in second grade may need some prompting and support to connect ideas that they are learning within an informational text at the beginning of the year. You can help your student/child by asking them to describe the illustrations/photographs/other text features they may see in an informational text. They should be able to tell you how the pictures/images add to the text and what information that they add. They should also be able to identify the basic similarities and differences between two or more different texts that are on the same topic.

• Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
• Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
• Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

These worksheets from TheWorksheets.com can help your child grow in their understanding of what they are reading. These worksheets can be used as a tool to guide conversation with your second grader. Not each worksheet needs to be filled out and done independently by your second grader. If you notice that they are struggling, try completing the activity with some support and prompting.

• Second Grade Information from Images Worksheets
• Second Grade Main Idea Worksheets
• Compare and Contrast Second Grade Worksheets
• Supporting Details Second Grade Worksheets

Conclusion

Information text helps our students and children understand more information about the world around them. It is important for them to have the skills and strategies necessary to decipher the information in these sometimes challenging texts.

TheWorksheets.com is filled with many informational resources to help each second grade child grow as an informational reader!